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What to Know Before You Buy a Room Air Conditioner

If your home currently does not have cooling capabilities, you might want to consider installing an air conditioner of some kind now before you need it in the summer. But some homes are better suited for central cooling systems and other with single room air conditioners.

Here is a breakdown of different air conditioner types and which ones are best for different types of homes.

Air conditioners break down into two primary categories and then get a little more detailed from there. On the most basic level, there are central air conditioning systems, in which your cooling and heating is run through interior ductwork in your walls and is controlled by a thermostat, usually also mounted on the wall. The other type is a room air conditioner, of which there are many styles.

The most popular is the window-mounted unit, but they also come in wall-mounted styles, portable air conditioning units, and split ductless or mini air systems.

One of the first considerations you should make is the size of the room you are trying to cool. All air conditioning units come with a recommended coverage rating to give you an idea of how large of a space they are optimized to be able to cool efficiently.

Whichever type of air conditioner you choose, there are some features that are essential to look for. The ideal system should include an electric control panel to make it easy to adjust your settings. A remote control is very convenient, especially when you want to make adjustments at night. Having an auto-restart function will improve the life of your compressor in case of a power outage, and is a great feature to have as well.